Rainy Night at Maekawa — 相州前川の雨

Rainy Night at Maekawa (相州前川の雨) is a recurring subject in Hasui's body of work, and this impression reflects the design's nocturnal treatment of a riverscape in Sagami Province. The Maekawa River locale, a relatively modest site rather than a famous landmark, exemplifies Hasui's preference for finding aesthetic potential in undercelebrated places throughout Japan. The night rain composition relies on graduated dark skies achieved through successive applications of blue-black pigment on washi, with the baren-applied pressure creating smooth tonal transitions. Foreground elements — likely vegetation, wooden structures, or river embankments — are rendered as dark silhouettes, while the rain itself is rendered as fine parallel lines that animate the otherwise still scene. Minor differences between impressions bearing the same title may reflect plate wear or deliberate variations introduced during reprinting.